Door-operating mechanism



June' 7 1927;

F. P. ANGELL DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed. July e, 1925 IN VEN TOR.

Patented June 7., 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

'FRED'P. ANGELL, ornon'rnve'roiv 13mm, CALIFORNIA;

noon-ornna'rrne MECHANISM.

Application filediJ'uly e, 1925. Serial No. 41,792.

equivalent electrical controlling switch, andautomatically stopped independent of the starting switch at predetermined opened and closedpositions of the doors,'or any intermediate position between the doors when one or both are obstructed in their normal operative movement.

The present invention contemplates a dooropening and closing mechanism in which the moving parts operate in a predetermined direction and the, cranks for operating the doors make complete revolutions.

An important objectot the present invention is the arrangement of a tripping device by which a driving gear may be thrown out oi? meshed connection with its co-operating gear and stop the further movement of. said doors when colliding with an obstruction capable of counteracting saidtripping device in either an inward or outward movement oi the doors, and without injury to the operating mechanism and with little if any injuryto the obstruct-ion.

7 Another object of the invention is to provide a tripping mechanism capable 01E being adjusted to be ,operatedat differing degrees of stress, as expedient. I

Still another object of the invention is to so construct the tripping mechanism that when the operating mechanism for any rea son has been stopped by the action of the trip, said mechanism may be readily started after a removal of the obstructionby re storing the trip to a-normal position through the" aid ota cord strung overa series of grooved sheaves and secured atone end to said trip.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient breaking attachment whereby the centrifugal m0 mentum of the motor maybe reduced, the motor brought to a stop and prevent fur ther movement of the door-con trolling mechanism after the electrical current has been shut from the motor. r Y These and other objects-and advantages will be comprehended in the following descri tion of the constructionand operation of t- 1e parts of my invention both separately and together as a whole, it being understood predetermined positions.

that the illustrations show a typical working embodiment of the mechanism, and that various details in the arrangement and con struction of the parts could be changed without detracting from the spirit or intent of my lnvention.

In the drawings iorminga. part of this I specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved door-operating mechanism with the doors tothe limit of their outward movement.

Fig.2 isa side elevation of Fig. 1 with 7 the doors partially broken away, looking through the door-opening from the exterior.

Fig. 3 is a detail cross section of the dooroperating mechanism looking toward the left from the line X of Fig. 1, and shows the trip mechanism latched in operative position. V r

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, with the trip mechanism released and its supporting shaft and pinion disengaged from its gear-driven mechanism.

Fig.6 is a detail elevation of a door crankoperating gear and shows spring pressure contacts bearing upon an intermittent electrical circuit control attached to said gear for stoppingthe operation of the doors at Fig. 6 is an inverse view of the gear shown in Fig. 5, together with its attachedfelectrical .circuitcontrol.

Like marks of reference refer to corresponding or equivalentparts in the different views in. which A, represents swinging hinged. doors suspended appropriate hinges 1, to the side posts B, and (l is a cross-gilt, (extendingctrom post to post over the doors), to which the doo'roperating mechanism is mounted.

The base D of the operating mechanism is attached to the gilt C by bolts or other suitable means and carries an, electric motor E operated by an electrical current supplied through conducting wires leading from a generator for the purpose, in the usual manner for operating motors of the character. On the opposite corners of one side of said base D, vertical bearings 3 are pro- .vided in which the door-operating gearing t is journalled, the lower ends of the 1ournals,

being fitted with oppositely-disposed cranks 5, from the ends of which longitudinallyadjustable connecting rods 6 operate arms attached to the doors A. ,1

For the purpose ofmore readilyinstalling the door-operating mechanism the arms 7 are provided w'th lateral adjusting means, which obviates the necessity for re-setting the arms on the doors to get accurate and necessary CO-OPGl'iLtlOIl in their functioning with the cranks 5 of the operating mechanism. I

As shown, the arms 7 are pivoted near their inner-extremities on gudgeons 8 extending from offset port-ions of the bolt-attached bases 9, and are given lateral adjustment by means of side arranged set screws 10 operative through side wings 11 of base 9.

Extending upwardly from the base 1) in alignment with the bearings are the two driving-shaft bearings 12, in which thedriving shaft 13 is journalled'. This shaft at either end carries a bevel pinion 14 adapted to drive the crank-operating gears a, and between the bearings of this shaft it carries a large spur-gear 15 driven from a small spur pinion 16 adapted to be thrown in or out of mesh with the gear 15, as will be hereinafter explained. The pinion 16 operates from a shaft 17, the opposite end of which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 13 of the base D. This shaft is prevented from end thrust in its bearing 18 in which it is both rotatably and pivotally mounted, and near its geared end is mounted in a laterally operative bearing 19. This shaft also carries a driven gear 20 operated by a pinion 21 of the motor E.

The bearing 19 as herein shown is formed with a longitudinal slot 22 through which a keeper pin 23 extends through eared extensions of a post 24 of the base D. The opposite end of the bearing is formed with a retaining notch and an offset depending lug 26, the arrangement of both said notch and lug being to engage a beveled upper end of a retaining post 27 attached to or forming a part of the base'D. Extending from the base in close proximity to thepost 2'? a vertical tension post 28 is provided. This post extends through a slot in the bearing 19 and is fitted above said bearing with a coil spring 29 playing between said bearing and a screwthreaded adjusting wheel 30 screw-threaded on said post, the object of the parts being to normally retain the bearing 19 in locked engagement with the post 27 through the medium of the retaining notch 25, and to permit said bearing to disengage said post and slide rearwardly in its attachment with the post 2 1 and release the running contact of the gears 15 and 16, for purposes hereinafter set forth, yet be prevented from disengagement with said post 2 2 through the medium of the retaining lug 26, or through the medium of the keeper-pin 23, in its operation through the slot 22, or both.

To the forward end of the bearing 19 a cord 28 is attached and operates: over a grooved sheave 30 mounted at the upper end of a curved arm extending from the base D. The cord 28 is trained over suitable sheaves and its free end is arranged to be readily accessible to a garage attendant or other person so that the bearing 19 and its associated parts may be pulled forward and the gears 15 and 16 be brought into meshed engagement should they become disengaged through counteracting influences.

Striding the shaft 17, clamping members forming a break 31 are provided. The members of this break are secured together by means of an adjusting bolt 32, and the lower end of the break bears upon the base D, the object of the break being to counteract the momentum of the operating mechanism as a whole when the doors are'nearing the limit of their movements.

To one of the driving gears 4 the electrical .5

controlling make and break mechanism for opening the doors is attached. This mechanism consists of an insulating disc 33 riveted or otherwise attached to the wheel and upon its under side an electrical conducting concentric notched plate 3 1 is secured. The plate 34 is formed with diametrically-opposite peipheral spaces, (only one side of which is shown in Fig. 2), and within the intervening spaces offset portions of the insulation '33 project so that the surface between the parts will be uniform with the plate 34.

On the base D two spring arms 35 are secured to an insulated base 36, the free ends of the springs carrying contact rolls 37 adapted to bear upon the race formed by the plate 34 and the insulation Within the open spaces of said plate, as shown.

To each of the spring arms 35 an electrical conducting wire 2 is trained, the wires forming a part of the electrical communication from the motor and being broken only as the contact rolls 37 become insulated within the open portions of the plate 3 1 in the operation of the gears 4 when the cranks 5 are positioned at the limit of their throw in both the opening and closing of the doors. In Figs. 1 'and 2 the electrical circuit from motive power is shown as broken as the con tact rolls 37 become insulated at the opened position of the doors, the starting of the motor being effected by a circuit breaker of usual construction operated independent of the door-operating mechanism.

Having described the essential features in the construction of my improved door-opening' and closing mechanism, I will now ex plain the operation of the same:

Assuming the doors A are fully opened, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at which positions the electrical current from the motor E has ofi-set insulated parts of the disc 33 within moaned? first use the-independent circuit breaker (-herei-nbefore referred'vto), which would start the motor,"causing thetrain of gears leading from the motor to the shaft 13, to rotate,the' shaft, through the pinions 14,

Letters Patent, is

imparting motion to the gears 4, causing them to revolve'in oppositedirections owing to their geared relation with the pinions 14 on the shaft 13. a a i I I The gears 4 in turn'wouldirevolve the cranks 5 and, through the medium of the connecting rods 6 with the arms 7 attached to the doors, cause said doors to swing 1nwardon their hinges to a" closed positionpat 'which position the cranks 5 wouldbe at the inwardlimit of their throw and the contact rolls 37 would again be at neutral,or insulated, the motor stopped, and vice versa.

Assuming that the doors were being closed and a person was caught between the inwardly swinging edges of the same, the resistance would be impartedto the gearing between the cranks 5 and the motor E. This being the case, owing to the driving gear v16 *and-its shaft-17 being mounted in the bear- 'ing19 capable of" lateral thrust, the motordriven gear 16would ride upon its driven gear 15 by overcoming the tension exerted by the spring 29 and slide awayor disengage said gear 16 andstopfurther movement ofthe doors, said doors operating to stop their connection with the driving 'gearsm like manner should an obstructionbe met in opening the doors sufficiently to counteract the tension of the -spring aforesaid.

A re-starting of the doors is effected by a person pulling upon the cord 28 and restoring the bearing 19 to a normal position with its detent 25 engaging the post 27 and its gear 16 in mesh with the gear 15.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principle of the construction and method of operation of my improved door operating mechanism together with an embodiment thereof,

for the purpose set forth, but I am aware that certain modifications may be resorted to in carrying out my invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having, therefore, set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by 1. In a door operating mechanism, the combination with .a motor and a gear train operated by said motor to open and close a pair of doors, of means to disengage or separate motor communication between said motor and stud doors through the separation a of one gear from-another including a lateral movable bearing in which one ofsaid gears and meanstoyieldinglyretain said gears in engagement. r i

'2. In a door opera-ting mechan1sm;the

combination iwith a imotor and a: gear train is j ournalled, means to restore saidgears into engagemenhsaid last named means including a cord trained over "grooved sheaves, one 7 end of said cord being attached to said bearing the other end of said cord being,

amenable to hand operation. I

3. In .a door operating mechanism, the

combination with a motor and a gear train of operated bysaid motor to open; and close a pair of doors, of a shaft interposed-in said gear train andcarrying' a gear of said train 'near each end thereof,'said shaft, at, oneend being pivotallyv'journalled and the gear adjacent said end being in constant meshwith agear of said train on the shaft of said motor,and the gear at the opposite: end of the first named shaft being normally engagedwith a I gear operatively connected with the doors, said first named shaft at said opposite end being carried in "a laterally movable bearing whereby said last two 'named gears may be disengaged from said train and to stop the motor operation of said doors, means to hold said laterally movable bearing in'a normally operable position, "and means .to restore said last named "bearing to -al normally operable reposition after disengagementof said last named gears.

4. In a door operatlng'mechanism, the combination with a motor and a gear train including a large spur gear to open and close a pair of doors, of a shaft interposed in said gear train and carrying a small spur pinionof said train at one end and adapted to disengageably mesh with said large spur gear, said shaft at its opposite end being pivotally mounted and near its pivot carry ing another gear of'said train in continuous engagement with a gear of said train on the shaft of said 'motor, said first named shaft at its end opposite its pivot being journalled in a lateral bearing, asupport for oneend of said bearing, said bearing being slidably pivoted on said; support, a detent near the opposite end and on the under side of said bearing, a post adapted to engage said detent when said large spur gear and said pinion are in operative engagement, said bearing having a vertically disposed slot, a post extending through said slot, a nut threaded on the upper end of the post, a compression spring interposed between said bearing and said nut, a stop extension at the 1s 1ournal1ed, means to restore said gears into.

engagement after hav ngbeen disengaged;

"end of said bearing adjacent the detent adaptedgto engage said first named post when said detent has been released from its engagement with said post, a cord attached at the end of said bearing near said extension, said pinion being adapted to disengage from said large spur gear when a predetermined force restrains said spur gear, said cord adapted to replace said bearing in a normal position after said gears have been disengaged from one another.

5. In a door operating mechanism, the combination with a motor and a gear train operable by said motor to open and closea pair of doors, of a shaft journalled in a slidable pivotal hearing at one end and carrying a gear of said train in constant operat-iy e contact with a gear of said train on the shaft of said motor and carrying at its opposite end a gear of said train adapted to disengageably mesh with another gear of said train, said first named shaft near its end opposite its pivot in said train being mounted in a'lateral bearing, a support rearwardly of and to one side of said last named gear, said bearing being slidably pivoted on said support, a detent in said bearing on its forward under side, a post adapted to engage with said detent, a lip or stop depending from the forward end of said bearing adapted to engage said post when said bearing has been elevated to release said deteiit, whereby said firstnamed shaft may swing laterally at one end and permit a separation of the last two named gears, said bearing having an elongated slot, a threaded post extending through said slot, said post being fixedat its lower end and having a threaded nut at its upper end, a compression coil spring interposedbet-Ween said bearing and said nut, a cord attached to the free end of said bearing, whereby said bearing may be replaced into operative position after having been released from engagement with said first mentioned post.

6. In a door operating mechanism, the

combination with a pair of doors, a revolubly journalled crank mounted above each of said doors, means to revolve said cranks, an arm extending from each of said doors and a connecting-rod pivotally uniting the arm of a door with a crank journalled above said door, said arms being capable of lateral adjustment in their attachment to said doors whereby said cranks, connecting-rods and arms will operate synchronous and in unison in opening or closing said doors.

7. In a door operating mechanism, the

combination with a hinged door, a crank a door may be adjusted in its operation wit 1 said arm.

FRED P. ANGELL. 

